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Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Fredrik Aursnes as Unai Emery bids to bolster his midfield this summer.

The Spaniard has been joined by Monchi, who has a strong track record in recruiting efficiently as Villa aim to drive their squad to compete in Europe after confirming their place in next season’s UEFA Europa Conference League.

As revealed by Emery via The Athletic back in April, the four-time Europa League winner is aiming to introduce reinforcements all over the pitch.

In signing Aursnes, the Midlands club could hire a real talent in midfield in a player that could boost the options in the middle of the park.

The news speculating Villa’s link to the Benfica ace came courtesy of Portuguese outlet Record (via Sport Witness) earlier this week.

The report claimed that the Villans have made contact over potentially signing the 27-year-old, who has a release clause of €50m (£42m), adding that the Eagles would only let the player leave for such a fee.

What could Fredrik Aursnes offer to Aston Villa?

Lauded as a “class act” by Norwegian football expert David Weatherston, Emery could add to the talents that already adorn his midfield by signing the middle-of-the-park maestro.

Likened to £106.8m jewel Enzo Fernandez based on his statistics recorded over the past year, Aursnes is an accomplished figure to have in any side, as highlighted by his numbers.

In 28 appearances in Liga Portugal, the Norwegian averaged a Sofascore match rating of 7.01, scoring two goals and registering four assists from central midfield.

Averaging one key pass per game, the 27-year-old is a player equipped with an innate attacking ability, suggesting he could provide worthy competition for one of Emery’s stars in that area.

Despite missing a chunk of the season to injury, Boubacar Kamara has shown glimpses of his class in the middle of the park in acting as a sweeper sitting in front of the back line as well as providing a competent outlet in his skills in progressive play.

The 23-year-old could find himself having competition should Villa opt to sign Aursnes, who flexes a greater efficiency in a box-to-box role as suggested by statistics.

When comparing the two on their respective 2022/23 campaigns based on their numbers provided by FBref, it’s clear to see why the Portuguese champions value their player so highly.

The Hareid-born gem ranked in the top 1% for progressive passes per 90 (8.44), as well as topping the charts in terms of pass completion rate with an average of 85.1% in comparison to other attacking midfielders in the league.

Villa’s ace fell short in the same area averaging 4.25 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League, while his pass accuracy of 84.8% was fractionally smaller.

Adding competition to any side is integral to promoting individual performance in the bid to bolster overall team performance, critical to challenging the Premier League and European competition efficiently.

Leeds United's relegation from the Premier League was a frustrating one given the talent within their squad, as it was believed that they had the requisite quality across the pitch to avoid the drop.

However, in the end, it was not standout poor performances that resulted in their Championship return, but instead questionable decisions from the hierarchy that had led to this catastrophic moment.

The sacking of Marcelo Bielsa should have ushered in a fresh new era at Elland Road, and yet in an effort to mimic what had clearly begun to go stale, the appointment of Jesse Marsch marked the beginning of the end.

He may have guided them to safety, but the season following he had to go. Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce could not undo the havoc he had wreaked on this squad, that boasted the goalscoring talents of Rodrigo and the midfield magnificence of Tyler Adams.

Whilst the former has been destined to depart for some time, should the 49ers tempt the USA international to give them one more year, he could be the catalyst that secures them instant promotion.

Especially if they are to pair him with Harry Winks, who reports have suggested the Whites are interested in. That said, they would have to hijack any proposed deal on the table that Leicester have, with the Foxes looking set to procure his signature.

Would Harry Winks improve Leeds United?

As a safe and steady presence in the engine room, his calming demeanour could complement the all-action style of Adams.

After all, both have enjoyed solid campaigns in England at some point in their careers, with the 24-year-old American's having only come last term. His 6.98 average rating was upheld through one key pass and 3.7 tackles per game (via Sofascore), outlining his presence all over the pitch.

When given the opportunity, this touch-tackling maestro can be just as influential in attack as he can in screening the back four.

It is these qualities that suggest someone like Winks would be the perfect partner for him, with his loan spell in Italy serving to prove this. Whilst hardly outstanding in any area of the game, it is this versatility that could allow Adams to operate wherever he sees fit, knowing that his partner will cover for him.

In the Serie A, the 27-year-old Englishman maintained an 85% pass accuracy in the engine room, alongside 1.2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, one clearance and 0.8 key passes per game, via Sofascore.

His pass accuracy would actually make him the most accurate passer within the Leeds squad from last season. Such devotion to doing the dirty work saw him deserving of the title of a "top professional", bestowed upon him by pundit Paul Robinson.

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The £8m-rated general's arrival could prove instrumental in actually tempting the former RB Leipzig star to stick around in Yorkshire, as it would be a show of faith to the importance he would hold for the new season.

After all, having been branded a "monster" in the past by former pro Alexi Lalas, with Winks beside him he could surely recapture this form in the Championship with ease.

Liverpool are battling a top flight rival to sign Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, with the Reds now ready to stump up the money to sign the World Cup breakout star, according to a report from Firenzeviola.it via Sport Witness.

Is Sofyan Amrabat really that good?

The midfielder has been with Fiorentina for three seasons now, having initially caught the eye with Hellas Verona in the same division. He has gone on to appear in 83 Serie A games for the La Viola since that transfer deal.

In 2022/23, he managed 29 league outings as well as starring in their Europa Conference League campaign, showcasing how good he can be on the big stage. That's because, when compared to others in his position amongst the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues, he ranks very impressively. For example, his progressive passes rate of 7.93 per 90 puts him in the top eight percent in that category and his 88.8% pass completion rate has him in the 95th percentile in that figure too.

It shows that he rarely makes mistakes with the ball despite seeking to make dangerous and incisive passes – the numbers even put him on a par with Liverpool's own pass-master, Thiago Alcantara, who ranks slightly better for progression but slightly worse for accuracy.

Now, according to a report from Firenzeviola.it via Sport Witness, the player has suitors from other leagues. Both Liverpool and Newcastle have an interest in the midfielder it seems and both clubs are "ready to pay" the asking price that Fiorentina want to ensure Amrabat ends up in the Premier League.

They appear to be the only two clubs currently willing to pay the required amount to convince the Serie A side to flog the 26-year-old.

What is Amrabat's transfer value?

With Fiorentina having paid around 19.5 million Euros to bring him to Italy, they'll want to fetch even more than that in the next deal for Amrabat. No potential fee is mentioned here in regards to a transfer deal – so it is actually unclear how much Liverpool are prepared to pay for the midfielder – but Transfermarkt suggests that his value is around the 30 million Euro mark (or £26m). Whilst more than the Serie A side paid, it is still a relatively cheap deal for the player.

When you consider what has been said about him in the game too, it makes that amount as a potential fee seem low. Football journalist Josh Bunting for example called the player "outstanding" during Fiorentina's Europa Conference League game against West Ham, also adding that he "ran the game" for the Italian side, while his displays on the biggest stage of all, the World Cup, drew mass media acclaim.

When a club releases a new home kit, fans line up, ready to purchase what they hope will go down as a historic shirt, which sees endless trophies.Sometimes, a shirt can become famous for the wrong reasons, however, and that’s exactly the case for Arsenal’s recently released 2023/24 home kit.The club have been forced to suspend the sale of the home shirt due to an error in the design.

Why did Arsenal suspend the sale of their new home shirt?

There’s nothing quite like honouring legends in football. The only issue is when you get it wrong, and things become a tad awkward.

Adidas and Arsenal attempted to insert a piece of history into the white trim of their new home shirt by outlining all the 38 games that the famous 2003/04 side remained unbeaten in to become invincible.

Somewhere along the way, however, communication must’ve taken a wrong turn, as Arsenal’s new home shirt only features 32 games of that historic run under Arsene Wenger. Unbeaten for over half of the season doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?

Costing a hefty £110, it’s fair to say that the club and designers have made a costly error, as fans begin to contemplate whether to return their shirt or keep it in hope of it becoming a rare collectors item in years to come.

Releasing a statement about the error, Adidas told The Evening Standard:

“The 23-24 Arsenal Home Authentic Jerseys are temporarily unavailable while a design error is being corrected.

“We are working closely with the club and our partners to ensure restocked jerseys are available as soon as possible, and are offering full refunds to fans who have already bought one.

“This design error falls short of the standards we set ourselves as a brand, and we apologise to the club and its fans.

“The replica ‘fan’ version of the Home Jersey is unaffected and widely available now.”

The shirt is set to be re-released later this year.

How did Arsenal fans react to the mistake?

As expected, Arsenal fans were not happy with the mistake, with some taking to Twitter to air their grievances:

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their efforts to improve the quality of their attacking options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Josh Maja to Rangers?

According to Football Scotland, the Light Blues could make a move for Bordeaux centre-forward Josh Maja if they decide to revisit their interest in the Nigerian international.

The report claims that the player is not at the top of the club's shortlist of strikers that they want to bring to Ibrox this summer but has been mentioned in the past as a target.

It states that the 24-year-old is now available on a free transfer ahead of the 2023/24 campaign as he is not set to extend his contract with the Ligue 2 side, which expires at the end of this month.

Should Rangers sign Josh Maja?

Michael Beale must swoop to snap up the former Sunderland gem, whose natural talent was hailed as "rare" by ex-Rangers forward Jermain Defoe, as his form in the 2022/23 season suggests that he would be way better than Dutch forward Sam Lammers.

The Gers are reportedly finalising a £3m deal to sign the Atalanta star this summer but his record in front of goal in recent years leaves a big question mark hanging over his head.

Lammers scored two goals in 33 Serie A appearances last season and has only scored seven league goals since the start of 2019/20 – across the Eredivisie, Bundesliga, and the Italian top-flight combined.

Maja, on the other hand, is coming off the back of an exceptional year in the second division of French football with Bordeaux.

The English-born marksman plundered 16 goals in 34 starts and proved himself to be a reliable goalscorer at that level throughout the campaign.

He had a conversion rate of 21% and these statistics suggest that the £10k-per-week whiz could be a superior option to Lammers, who converted a dismal 4% of his efforts in the Serie A during the 2022/23 season as the Atalanta dud scored twice from 4.79 expected goals (xG) whilst on loan at Empoli and then with relegated Sampdoria.

The profligate Dutchman also only created two 'big chances' for his teammates in the Italian top-flight and Maja could offer more in that respect as the Bordeaux talent produced eight 'big chances' for his fellow forwards in Ligue 2 and registered six assists.

Although it is difficult to gauge the difference in quality between the two divisions, these statistics indicate that the Nigerian international would be way better for Beale than Lammers due to his very recent track record of excelling as a goalscorer and a creator, whilst the wasteful 26-year-old has struggled badly in recent years.

As such, Rangers must prioritise a swoop for Maja in the coming weeks.

Mauricio Pochettino has landed the unenviable task of attempting to pinpoint Chelsea’s new striker and finding the right method to maximise their talents.

During this abysmal campaign, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kai Havertz, and Joao Felix have all been deployed as the focal point – and although the latter displayed minor flashes of brilliance, watching this trio all separately play as a central striker was an unfulfilling and frustrating experience.

One name that has been floated around as the solution to this damaging problem is Lautaro Martinez, who has demonstrated is more than capable of filling this humongous void.

What’s the latest on Lautaro Martinez to Chelsea?

According to The Times, Chelsea will be rivalled by Real Madrid for the 25-year-old’s signature.

The reigning European champions are in the market for a frontman after Karim Benzema’s sudden departure to Saudi Arabia.

A previous report by the Football Insider has revealed that it will take a £70m offer to tempt the Nerazzurri to sanction his sale.

Who can Lautaro Martinez emulate at Chelsea?

The Argentine has arguably been unplayable this season – he has netted 28 times in all competitions and was the second-highest scorer in Serie A.

The 48-cap international was the protagonist of Inter’s recent trophy lift against Fiorentina, who they beat 2-1 in the Coppa Italia. Unsurprisingly, Martinez was on the scoresheet twice and has registered the highest average match rating (7.18) in the squad over the campaign, as per Sofascore.

The Milanese giants will be hoping he can replicate this spell-binding potency in the Champions League final this evening when they take on treble-chasing Manchester City in Istanbul.

If the Blues secured this audacious swoop, Martinez could repeat the tricks of the irrepressible Nicolas Anelka at Stamford Bridge. The Frenchman spent four years in the English capital, scoring 59 goals and registering 36 assists in 184 games, while also winning one Premier League and two FA Cups in that time.

In his first full season at Chelsea, the former Arsenal prodigy found the net 19 times, was crowned as the division's joint-top scorer, and stepped up when Drogba’s season was ravaged by injury as he only scored on five occasions.

This is similar to the current situation at the San Siro, as Martinez has netted more than fellow forwards Edin Dzeko and Romelu Lukaku, combined.

However, what Anelka and Martinez share is the ability to be the driving force of the attack, but is also able to combine and conjure up a formidable striking partnership.

For Anelka, this was shown in 2009/10, when he and Drogba recorded 61 goal involvements in the top flight as Chelsea secured the Premier League title.

Similarly, in the 2020/21 season, the World Cup winner and the aforementioned Lukaku notched the same number of goal contributions in their imperious Serie A triumph.

Described as “spectacular” by Lionel Messi, the £186k-per-week man’s versatility, his mastery of being the main source of goals or sharing the responsibility, and his experience in playing as a single or double striking force, make him an extremely attractive prospect for the west London outfit.

Arsenal are "firmly in the driving seat" to sign Brighton star Moises Caicedo after "multiple conversations" with his agents, according to reports.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

The north Londoners, according to various reports, have earmarked the signing of a central midfielder, or even two, during the upcoming summer transfer window.

This has lead to links with Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan, Wolves star Ruben Neves and Chelsea's Mason Mount among others – but it is in the defensive midfield where Arsenal are determined.

Indeed, a plethora of targets have been mentioned, including Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, yet perhaps the top two names are West Ham United's Declan Rice and Caicedo.

The former has attracted serious interest, with a bid apparently in the pipeline and verbal agreement already being reached, according to recent claims.

It appears the Gunners are favourites for Rice as things stand, but that apparently won't stop them making a move for Caicedo either.

According to Football Transfers, Arsenal do indeed want two midfielders this summer, so their "exciting progress" on a Rice deal won't affect Caicedo's potential arrival.

On the Ecadorian, it is believed Mikel Arteta's side are "firmly in the driving seat" to sign him this summer, coming after "multiple conversations" with the player's representatives and the ability to offer Champions League football.

In a further promising piece of news from the outlet, Brighton apparently believe Arsenal will pay the £75 million fee required for Caicedo's signature. The Premier League top four side agreed personal terms with him back in January, and they apparently still stand heading into the summer.

Who is Moises Caicedo?

Having starred on the south coast under Roberto De Zerbi last season, Caicedo is currently a hot commodity.

Only Pascal Gross and Lewis Dunk were selected more in the league for Brighton, with Caicedo also averaging more tackles and interceptions per 90 than any of his teammates over 22/23 (WhoScored).

South American football expert Tim Vickery is in no doubt over his quality, either, who said this on the 21-year-old before Brighton managed to sign him (BBC via Sussex Express):

“Caicedo is a terrific player. Independiente del Valle are a small club that continue to exist based on developing players in order to sell them.They do it unbelievably well, bringing in top-class Spanish youth coaches to develop their players. Caicedo made stepping into the first team at his club and with his national team look like a breeze in 2020.“He’s a box-to-box midfielder, a terrific athlete who is cool in possession. He’s not a wizard, not a glamorous player but he’s got so much to offer.”

Chelsea have been poor this campaign and will be desperate for the close of play to arrive so they can focus on what is set to be a busy summer ahead at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues will take on Newcastle United on Sunday at home in the Premier League before taking a break to regroup before 2023/24. Mauricio Pochettino is expected to take the reins in SW6 in the off-season following a lengthy manager search by the Blues' hierarchy.

Sizing up potential transfer incomings and outgoings will be a key task for the Argentine upon arrival and Chelsea have been linked with some high-profile players as they eye another spending spree under Todd Boehly.

The Guardian report that Pochettino has earmarked Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as a target for his rebuild in west London as he looks to add an elite forward to the Chelsea attack to lead from the front next term.

What's the latest transfer news involving Victor Osimhen and why is he so effective?

As cited by The Guardian, Osimhen is indeed 'on the radar' at Stamford Bridge; however, it is believed that it would take a 'huge fee' to entice the Nigeria international away from the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Ben Jacobs has echoed the sentiment that Chelsea pulling off a deal to sign Osimhen will be 'difficult' to do.

Jacobs told FFC: "I think that alongside Vlahovic, for Chelsea, Victor Osimhen remains a target and player that they hugely admire, but everybody chasing Victor Osimhen is well aware of how difficult that deal is to pull off. People forget sometimes what Napoli paid, which was €80 million all in, including bonuses and the valuation put on players that were also part of the deal to Lille, but the all in number is €80 million when everything is included. As a consequence, with the form that Osimhen is on and the level of interest when Napoli are asking for a fee well in excess of £100 million, that isn't because they're being greedy, it's because they are aware that Osimhen has significantly improved in value since they signed him. Because the fee that they paid to Lille was so hefty, it's obvious that, if possible, they would like something close to double what they paid and that's where this approximate number of €150 million comes from."

It is no surprise that interest in Osimhen is strong from Chelsea, as the 24-year-old has registered 28 goals and five assists in 37 appearances this term across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Former Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has likened the £91k-a-week earner to Didier Drogba in a recent interview with Sky Sports via METRO, saying: "I see a lot of similarities but it’s unfair to compare players from different eras. They both play with a lot of physicality and they are both very good with scoring, taking their opportunities. He’s a very complete player. He’s got a good reference going forward, he can link up play and he’s devastating in the air. He’s a pest to defenders."

Bringing in Osimhen would be a real coup for Chelsea and there is an argument to say that he would be the best signing of Blues' co-owner Boehly's era so far. According to WhoScored, the frontman has averaged 4.2 shots per match in Serie A this campaign, demonstrating his ability to constantly trouble opposition backlines.

FBRef also show that the Nigerian has been among the elite forwards in Europe's top five divisions and has fared well in regard to his positional peers in the art of non-penalty goals in the last 365 days, averaging 0.85 per 90 minutes, putting Osimhen in the second percentile for this metric.

As per Tuttonapoli via GOAL, ex-Roma forward Ciccio Graziani has praised Osimhen's qualities as a striker, stating: “He's the top scorer in Serie A, he scores goals in every game. Maybe it won't be beautiful to see but he's effective. The highest performance in the entire league and it's the one that affects the most, so for me, he's my player in Serie A at the moment."

In a time of need for Chelsea, bringing Osimhen to Stamford Bridge would be the perfect tonic for the Blues to get back to challenging for major silverware in 2023/24.

James Maddison is thought to be interested in joining Newcastle United this season with Leicester City on the verge of being relegated.

The 2016 Premier League champions need Everton to drop points on Sunday otherwise they will be relegated from the top flight for the first time since returning in 2015. If they are relegated this weekend, it may make it simpler for Maddison to secure a summer switch to St. James' Park.

What's the latest on James Maddison to Newcastle?

According to the Shields Gazette, Leicester value Maddison at £50million, although the midfielder only has just over one year remaining on his contract.

Newcastle have had two bids for Maddison rejected in the past, but if the Foxes are unable to remain in the top flight, he may be available at a discounted price point.

Maddison is reportedly interested in a move to Newcastle and has already spoken to Kieran Trippier on international duty about playing for the Magpies. Callum Wilson also discussed the club with Maddison while they were at the World Cup in Qatar last year.

Meanwhile, Eddie Howe has been open about his admiration for the Leicester playmaker, saying:

“I have full respect for him and his abilities. I have seen him grow from a Football League player to a Premier League player. He’s been brilliant.

"He has been a great advert for the Premier League, but he’s a Leicester City player – and I fully respect that. I’d never talk about another contracted player coming here. But he’s a player I do respect."

How many goals and assists has Maddison got this season?

It's no surprise clubs are interested in Maddison. Despite the lack of quality around him at the King Power Stadium this season, Maddison has still managed ten goals and nine assists, an extremely impressive return for a team in the relegation zone this late in the season.

With the quality already at Newcastle in the final third such as Wilson and Alexander Isak, who have netted combined 28 goals in the league this season, Maddison could thrive if he made the switch to St. James' Park, where he would play for a Champions League side and at 26, you could say he is reaching his prime as a midfielder.

The England international is one of the best creators in the Premier League, ranking eighth for chances created this season, so appears ready for a big move, and it looks as if that could be north to turn out for the Magpies.

Frank Lampard has been working hard to keep Everton in the Premier League next season with a relegation battle going right down to the wire and to add to the relegation worries a new transfer threat has emerged.

What’s the latest?

According to The Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing not one but three Everton players this summer with Richarlison, Ben Godfrey and Anthony Gordon on Antonio Conte’s summer wish list.

Since the Toffees picked their form off the floor in the last few weeks these three players, in particular, have caught the eye of the London club, and the report suggests that Spurs are watching the developments of Everton’s end of season outcome closely.

Supporters will be furious

There is no doubt that these three players play important roles in the team and have been three of the most influential in keeping Everton’s chances of survival alive, so the prospect of them leaving will leave supporters furious if it did go ahead this summer.

Richarlison has been linked with securing a new challenge at another club for months now, so it will come as no shock that Spurs have thrown their hat into the ring for the Brazilian goal machine. However, they will need to compete with the likes of Manchester United who have also shown interest.

Gordon would be a huge blow for Evertonians as the youngster is a boyhood Blue, which means a move away would be devastating for supporters of the club as if the current season hadn’t been disappointing enough.

Out of all three of these players Gordon has been by far the most consistent and hard-working player in the team this term and the position of the club bears no reflection on the performances of the young winger who in terms of form, has had his best season yet at Goodison Park.

The 21-year-old has bagged himself four goals and two assists but it is his all-round play that has been an absolute nuisance for opponents to mark and tackle in the Premier League this season.

Gordon has created 30 chances, successfully made 52 tackles and 21 interceptions for Everton and has won the majority of his 326 duels (50.3%) which shows how effective he is in making his presence known in the team. At such a young age to dominate your position with such strength is something the Toffees cannot afford to lose under any circumstances.

Ultimately, the future of all three of the players Tottenham Hotspur have their eye on currently will not be sealed until the end of the season when Everton will either drop into the Championship or remain in the Premier League.

If Lampard can keep his side in top-flight football we’re sure he will do his best to hold onto them.

AND in other news: Everton can finally axe “poor” £68k-p/w dud by signing 22 y/o with “huge potential”